Contributor: Bob Hoose

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

If You Can’t Text Something Positive …

According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 75% of all U.S. teens have a cell phone. When you drop the age to 12 years old, it’s still a whopping 58% with a ring-tone piping out of their pocket. 90% of all those kids are texting each oth …

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Get Low

Robert Duval is a grizzled old hermit who wants to attend his own funeral. He wants to hear what folks might say about him. And he wants to tell them a thing or two while they’re at it.

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“DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”

Usher’s TGIF-style anthem has fans shrugging off a long week by hitting the clubs, dancing, leering and falling in “love.”

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Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty

After a dozen silent years, a strategy classic has written a new chapter.

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Ramona and Beezus

Beverly Cleary’s Ramona is no Supergirl. But this 9-year-old has the strength of 10 men—when it comes to imagination. Now she just has to imagine a way to save the day for her family.

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Ocean’s Thirteen

Danny Ocean and his neo-rat pack are back to ‘help’ a friend in need. But mostly they’re out to prove that 13 good thieves are better than one bad one any day of the week.

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Park Well, My Brother

NEW TECH ALERT—woo-woo-woo In case you haven’t heard, Google has created a new Android app for all you frustrated city folk who endlessly round the block looking for someplace to jam your ride. It’s called “Open Spot.” With it you can open a little map …

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Your Tweet is My Command

Did you hear about David Perez and his recent adventure? If not, let me fill you in. This 29-year-old advertising guy wanted to attend a weeklong fete at the Cannes Lion’s International Advertising Festival in France. (Yeah, I had no idea that advertis …

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The Twilight of Addiction

This is the age of addiction. Think about it. People are pointing to new addictions just about every day. The Internet, now, there’s a real life-stealer. Reality TV shows, wow, just can’t get enough of those dancing stars of yesteryear. Movies. Music. …

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LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Hogwarts Harry and his loyal band of wand-wielders get LEGO facelifts. Are the makeovers magical? Or merely muddled?

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Singularity

This time-twisting shooter offers up old-school Soviet dominators along with rabid zombies … all on a radioactive island.

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Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Online

I just saw a New York Times article that I had to comment on. The piece, by Tara Parker-Pope, asked the question: “Is the Internet making teenagers do more dumb things than ever?” Now, it’s easy to rationalize that teens are gonna do stupid stuff no ma …

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Knight and Day

Enigmatic superspy Tom Cruise meets frazzled girl-next-door Cameron Diaz. Everybody else better take cover.

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“Misery”

Maroon 5’s latest “Misery” assails fans with far more than just the catchy tune that tickles their earbuds.

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Toy Story 3

Woody, Buzz and their friends return for a third adventure that will again test their commitment and loyalty to one another. This time, Andy’s headed to college. And the toys? They’re headed to the attic, a daycare center or something … worse.

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